Clearing Up Confusion Over Pennsylvania REAL ID

Rep. Ryan Bizzarro is trying to clear up the confusion by issuing a pamphlet on the subject

Tuesday, January 8th 2019, 5:45 PM EST by John Last

Updated:

Tuesday, January 8th 2019, 6:23 PM EST

REAL ID will soon be available to Pennsylvania residents. It's the result of the U.S. Government's desire for a more uniform standard of identification among the states in this post-9/11 era.

Pennsylvanians have been receiving a post card in the mail that attempts to describe REAL ID and the documentation process that goes with it. State Representative Ryan Bizzarro (D-Erie County) says people are confused by REAL ID and the post card is causing even more confusion.

For most Pennsylvanians, REAL ID will be in the form of their driver's license. PennDOT has been mailing post cards to drivers in the Commonwealth explaining to them how and when to apply. According to Bizzarro, the post card is so confusing that he drafted a pamphlet on his own that, he says, does a much better job.

Bizzarro says his constituents have been dropping by, phoning, and e-mailing his office with questions about REAL ID and he says the pamphlet answers every question.

Americans must have REAL ID by October 2020 or they will not be able to board a domestic airliner or enter a U.S. Government building or military installation that requires identification. However, people will not be required to obtain REAL ID if they instead choose to use a valid passport for identification.

Pennsylvania will start issuing the REAL ID in March of this year. Bizzarro is asking anyone confused by the PennDOT post card to read his pamphlet.

"It has by no means been a smooth process in the way they marketed this to the public. It's been very confusing and many of my colleagues have had issues with this from the very beginning. People shouldn't have to jump through all sorts of hoops in order to get a simple answer to a simple question they may have,” he said.

You can pick up a copy of the pamphlet at Rep. Bizzarro's district office at 12th and Peninsula, or at the Pennsylvania Driver's License Center in Summit Township, or at Erie International Airport.